Era and fue are, respectively, imperfect and preterite versions derived from ser. Estaba is an imperfect tense used in ester. (The preterite tense of estuve is in the singular first person.)<\/p>\n
In the Spanish language, the two Spanish words that can confuse students are “era” and “estaba”. These words mean “was” in English, but their meanings and usage differ significantly. Knowing the distinction between “era” and “estaba” is vital for anyone trying to learn Spanish.<\/p>\n
“Era” is the past form of “ser,” which means “to be.” It refers to the permanent or stable status of existence, for instance, a person’s profession, physical characteristics, or nationality. For instance:<\/p>\n
In the above examples, “era” refers to a feature that was present in the past and is present now. It is crucial to understand that “era” is not used to refer to a temporary state, a change in state, or a procedure that was taking place. In these instances, the word “estar” is used instead.<\/p>\n